The New Indian Express ·
Politics
NC-Congress face-off over full rendition of Vande Mataram in J&K
SRINAGAR: Allies National Conference and Congress are at loggerheads in Jammu and Kashmir over the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the J&K Film Festival in the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his Cabinet ministers and other party leaders.
After Congress general secretary K C Venugopal’s strong criticism of the NC on Tuesday, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra on Wednesday said it was a matter of concern that “our alliance partners (referring to NC) chose to sing the full version of Vande Mataram, disregarding the considered evolution of the song’s place in India’s national life, not merely during the freedom movement, but through the constitutional journey of the Republic thereafter”.
The adopted version, he said, “represented a conscious balance preserving the historic & emotional significance while remaining sensitive to India’s plural ethos & the constitutional guarantee of freedom of conscience”.
According to Karra, national symbols acquire greater dignity when they accommodate India’s diversity, not when that diversity is asked to accommodate them.
“This is not about patriotism. It is about the constitutional temperament with which patriotism in a diverse Republic deserves to be expressed,” he said.
The row started after the full rendition of Vande Mataram was played at the inauguration of the J&K Film Festival in the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his Cabinet ministers and other party leaders on Monday.
Despite Congress’ opposition, the full rendition of Vande Mataram was again played in the presence of the Chief Minister at the oath-taking ceremony of the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court in Srinagar on Wednesday.
Responding to the criticism, NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq, who is considered close to the Chief Minister, said the NC has always had a stated position. “We have never adopted two stanzas, nor have we ever adopted six stanzas. We believe that the party is different and the government is different.”
“When this has been accepted in Parliament, then it becomes a statutory obligation for the government to respect the song or anthem of Vande Mataram and that is what we are doing,” he said. “In Karnataka and Telangana on 15th August, the CMs of Congress stood up and stood up for the song.”
“This is a statutory obligation that has become a law and we have to follow that law. As far as the party's position is concerned, we always say that those who want to sing Vande Mataram should sing it. Those who do not want to sing it, they should not be forced to sing it,” he said.
Karra responded by saying, “If secular advice from our General Secretary (Organisation) @kcvenugopalmp ji was offered respectfully and in good faith, why are you offended? Take it in the spirit it was offered and move on.”
“The clips you cite predate the said CWC meeting, and as such, are from before any serious public conversation took place on Vande Mataram and therefore do not establish any contradiction,” he said.
“Curiously, you also left out Kerala’s Independence Day clip, where the Congress government played only the first two stanzas,” he said.
Senior Congress leader and MLA Ghulam Ahmed Mir said the debate over Vande Mataram reflects a larger question about India’s pluralist and secular traditions.
He said the version adopted by the freedom movement was shaped by the considered views of several national leaders, with an emphasis on preserving inclusivity and avoiding communal interpretations. “The discussion deserves to be approached with respect for that historical context and India's constitutional values.”
Reacting to Mir’s remarks, Jammu-based NC leader Gagan Bhagat said that when Vande Mataram was played in Karnataka and Telangana on August 15, 2026, as per the MHA protocol, there was no objection from the Congress.
“The same protocol is followed in Jammu and Kashmir and suddenly there is a problem. National protocol cannot change with geography. Do not mix party politics with respect for the National Song,” he said.